Asian Games – Part 1

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

Asian Games

• The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia.
• The Asian Games is the biggest sports competition in Asia.
• They are organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
• The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until the 1978 Games.
• Since the 1982 Games, they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.
• The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• And these are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

• Nine nations have hosted the Asian Games.
• Forty-six nations have participated in the Games.
• It is including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after its last participation in 1974.
• Since 2010, it has been common for the host of the Asian Games to host the Asian Para Games.
• Asian Para Games are held shortly after the end of the Asian Games.
• Asian Para Games are exclusive for athletes with disabilities.
• In the Paralympic Games, the host city's contract mentions the holding of both events.
• But the Asian game does not mention the mandatory holding of both.

History

Origins

• After the Second World War, many Asian countries gained independence.
• Guru Dutt Sondhi, a member of the Indian International Olympic Committee, proposed the idea of Asian Games as a sporting event.
• There all Asian nations can be represented.
• The first-ever Asian Games were held in New Delhi in 1951.

Regulations

• Asian Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from 1951 to 1978.
• Since 1982, Olympic Council of Asia regulates the Asian Games.
• The Far Eastern Championship Games (FECG) existed previous to the Asian Games.
• The FECG mooted in 1912 for a location set between Japan, the Philippines, and China.

• The inaugural Far Eastern Games were held in Manila in 1913 with 6 participating nations.
• There were ten Far Eastern Games held by 1934.
• The second Sino-Japanese War in 1934 and Japan's insistence on including the Manchu Empire as a competitor nation in the Games, brought China to announce its withdrawal from participation.
• The Far Eastern Games scheduled for 1938 were cancelled.
• The organization was later discontinued.

Formation

• After World War II, several areas in Asia became sovereign states.
• Many of these countries sought to exhibit Asian prowess without violence.
• At the London 1948 Summer Olympics, a conversation was started amongst China and the Philippines.
• It was to restore the idea of the Far Eastern Games.
• Guru Dutt Sondhi believed that the restoration of the Far Eastern Games would sufficiently display the spirit of unity and level of achievement taking place in Asian sports.
• He proposed the idea of a new competition – which came to be the Asian Games.

• The Asian Athletic Federation would eventually be formed.
• A preparatory committee was set up to draft the charter for this new body.
• On 13 February 1949, the Asian Athletic Federation was formally inaugurated in and New Delhi.
• And New Delhi was announced as the inaugural host city to be held in 1950.

The first Asian Games opening ceremony

• In 1962, the Games were hit by several crises.
• The host country Indonesia, refused to permit the participation of Israel and Taiwan due to political recognition issues.
• The IOC terminated its sponsorship of the Games and terminated Indonesia's membership in the IOC.
• The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), also removed their recognition of the Games.
• South Korea renounced its plan to host the 1970 Asian Games on the grounds of a national security crisis.

• Also, the main reason was due to a financial crisis.
• The previous host, Thailand, would host the Games in Bangkok using funds transferred from South Korea.
• Japan was asked to host.
• But Japan declined that opportunity as they were already committed to Expo'70 in Osaka.
• This edition marked the Games' inaugural television broadcasting, world-wide.
• In Tehran, in 1974, the Games formally recognized the participation of China, North Korea, and Mongolia.
• Israel was allowed to participate despite the opposition from the Arab world.
• Taiwan was permitted to continue taking part (as "Chinese Taipei").
• But its status was abolished in general meeting on 16 November 1973 by Games Federation.
• Prior to the 1978 Games, Pakistan retracted its plan to host the 1975 Games due to a financial crisis and political issues.

• Thailand was offered to host and the Games were held in Bangkok.
• As in 1962, Taiwan and Israel were refused the participation by Games Federation, amid political issues and security fears.
• Several governing bodies protested the ban.
• The International Olympic Committee threatened to bar the participating athletes from the 1980 Summer Olympics.
• Several nations withdraw prior to the Games opening.

Reorganization and expansion

• These events led the National Olympic Committees in Asia to revise the constitution of the Asian Games Federation.
• The Olympic Council of Asia was created in November 1981, excluding Israel and Taiwan.
• India was scheduled to host in 1982.
• And the OCA decided to maintain the old AGF timetable.
• The OCA formally started to supervise the Games starting with the 1986 Asian Games scheduled for Seoul, South Korea.
• In the 1990 Asian Games, held in Beijing, Taiwan (Republic of China) was re-admitted.

• The 1994 Games held in Hiroshima included the inaugural participation of the former 5 republics of the Soviet Union.
• They were part of the Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• It was also the first edition of the Games held in a host country outside its capital city.
• However, Iraq was suspended from the Games due to the 1990 Persian Gulf War.
• North Korea boycotted the Games due to political issues with the host country.

• The Games were hampered during the opening ceremony due a heart attack of Naresh kumar Adhikari.
• The 1998 Games marked the fourth time the Games were held in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej opened the Games; the closing ceremony was on 20 December, 1998.

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